title: Review article: Chemokine production by intestinal epithelial cells: a therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease?
abstract: The intestinal epithelium plays an important role in the recognition of pathogenic organisms and in the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the mucosa. Epithelial chemokine production may constitute a key target in future therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Chemokines are divided into two subfamilies, the C-C family and C-X-C family. Most C-C chemokines target mononuclear cells and many C-X-C chemokines attract neutrophils. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a C-X-C chemokine, acts as a motor for the recruitment of neutrophils into the non-inflamed mucosa and is present in both enterocytes and mucosal inflammatory cells. Epithelial cells may be the first to signal the presence of pathogens, as well as contributing to IL-8 production in IBD. Data have also shown that intestinal epithelial cells are able to respond to IL-1 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) at concentrations known to occur in the inflamed mucosa. Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a member of the C-C chemokine family, is noticeably increased in IBD. These data show that C-X-C and C-C chemokines are equally important properties of mucosal epithelial cells. The effects of two anti-inflammatory drugs (dexamethasone and cyclosporin) on chemokine production are significantly different and this provides a rationale for combination therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: van Deventer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018375:Neutrophil Activation
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D016572:Cyclosporine